This is the new album from the Italian band ATARAXIA, whose discography would take ten minutes to be told, considering all the albums, DVDs, solo projects and collaborations they did in nearly twenty years. But surely they are a band than doesn’t need a presentation anymore. What emerges listening to their albums is that, since the beginning, they had a distinguished and recognizable style and every new record, even though always adding something new, gives you what you expect from them and never disappoints. KREMASTA NERA is not an exception and surely every previous fan will appreciate it, but at the same time adds more influences that make their sound even more intense and expands their stylistic horizons. The concept of the album is about Axieros, the White Goddess of the Greek isle of Samothrace, and explores the religious beliefs and rituals that her followers had to practice. "Kremasta Nera" enriches the usual medieval sound of ATARAXIA with a strong influence from ancient music, with Hellenistic and Oriental influences, and transports you in a historical era submerged by the dust of centuries, where you will dance around the fire and listen to hypnotic mantras leading you to trance. The use of ethnic percussions (both acoustic and electric), played by the guest musician Riccardo Spaggiari, adds that right element that makes this album really wonderful, like in "The Nine Rituals", "Ochram" or "Kaviria" just to mention few. Francesca Nicoli’ enhances her vocal skills, alternating chant, recitation, ritual lamentations or other influences I could say from African singing (in "Ochram" I thought there was a Senegalese guest singer). I think the ritualistic and theatrical musical approach find its top in "Therma", so obsessive it evokes visions as in a delirium or in ecstatic trance, while in "Ebur" an unexpected electric guitar adds a lacerating melody to a powerful and cadenced track that’s perfect for a colossal movie. But this isn’t the only dimension you’ll find in "Kremasta Nera", that also gives pearls of sweetness (more similar to the "traditional" music of the band) like "Fengari" or "La Fame e la Danza" where classic guitar and keyboard pads support an Italian singing full of sadness and melancholy. Definitely, an album pervaded by the perfume of exotic incenses and burning torches, deep and intense, to be listened at medium-high volume (or headphones with closed eyes) to be completely submerged by visions. It’s a door to a forgotten age, if you dare to discover it.

Another band from Rome, Italy, emerging in the averagely good Italian scene is INFIERI, a trio formed by Andrea Tomasich (vocals, also mind of DARKANDREW), Libero Volpe (synths and samplers, member of DIASYA too) and Fausto Leonetti (bass guitar and keyboards). The music they play is a sort of Darkwave, with reference to CLAN OF XYMOX, FROZEN AUTUMN or THE CURE, with slow and embracing pads grafted on a drum-machine which has the taste of the Eighties, and above this musical landscape emerges the profound and evocative voice of Andrea. Among the six songs of the "Stolen Sky" EP, in my opinion, stands out "Silence", the opening track, which is really suggestive, with its slow proceeding and the strings melodies supporting a really desperate and introspective voice. The following "Eclissi" (with Italian lyrics) is melodic and has something I could describe as a sensual atmosphere, while "My Key" shows more C.O.X. influences, with a nice chorus and dramatic choirs that make me expect a more intense part that unfortunately never arrives. "Rain Cloud", starting with visions of desolation and a sweet carillon, is another track I really appreciate, with bass, keyboards and voice entwining, and some CURE’s influences. "Back To Me" is a more danceable and rhythmical track, while in the last "Victory Flags" calls attention to itself the good bassline and the cadenced advance of the song (does any of you remember SILENCE GIFT?). Surely this Ep is a very good record, even though I think something more could have been done. I see the same problem in both the production and the vocal approach: they prefer slow and deep melodies, obscure and romantic, but they both need to be more evocative and powerful. Pads and drumbeats are intense, but not as much as they need to reach the effect, and the voice, even though it’s already on the good path, must take a step forward and fully release its potential. Their next work will reach the top, I’m sure of that.

This duo (Saffio – keyboards and programming, Chem:nitz – vocals) comes from Rome, Italy, and formed in 2005. They’ve already released two demos (S/T 2005, "The Shining Process" 2006), have appeared on the German Darklife Magazine Compilation and on "Italian Body Music Vol.3". The band is really in love with Electro-Goth/EBM and Dark-Wave, and in this new Ep alternates moments of sad reflection, dominated by deep and visionary pads, with aggressive loops, distorted voices and noises. They are quite good in this alternation between good and evil, CLAN OF XYMOX influences and painful atmospheres, horrorific melodies (see "Your Wintertime") and danceable songs for smoky clubs. Personally I’ve quite appreciates "I Run For... ", "Your Wintertime", "A Prison For Me" and above all "The Blind Creation" (great track) with that obsessive rhythm that forces me to shake my head even when writing this review. "Sermons" has a rough and fat music (shows more links with the EBM scene), and the vocal melody reminds me something of AND ONE. "Blessed Into Nothing", from "The Shining Process" demo, is here in a new version remixed by NYDHOG (a one-man project from Rome playing Electro/EBM with really good results), where the aggressive side of the song is emphasized, as more emphasis has been given to the female coir. The CD includes also two videos, "I Run For... " directed by Saffio and "Tonight" directed by Saffio and Jon Alcaide, a nice add on to a very pleasant Ep. The only thing I could add is that the band is really improving from demo to demo, and in their first album (hope they’ll release soon with a good label) I would expect an even better production (already good now), more pumping and powerful in the aggressive parts and deeper in the more introspective ones, and above all that the singer takes care of the English pronunciation that has some problems, as shown in the live acts more than on recordings. Labels, offer them a good contract because "Metropolights" it’s a very good work, absolutely recommended for all old-school/new-school electro-goth fans.

AMATEUR GOD is a duo from Slovenia, formed by Bla? Erzetič and Helena Gabrijelčič, and "Xenofeelia, or «Tales of How We Wanted to Fight Our Own Nature in Vain»" is the third album of the band (but until 2004 there was another singer), the second on German label Black Rain. The album is characterised by slow songs, with Helena’s voice laying on a bed of electronic beats and pads, creating a gloomy atmosphere, oppressive and disturbing. Sad emotions pervade your body, as listening to this album is like walking in a dead alley, fearful of the unknown. Voice is sometimes a bit monotone and dissonant, but I think this is just as they wanted it to be, to create this desperate sensation of emptiness; in fact, when she wants, Helena shows she’s able to sing melodically with no problem at all (see "Miss Fortune" for example), even though never aggressively but with a melancholic approach. I do like songs like "Changes", which has also a particular video, or "Garden of Sanity" with its deep and distressing noises, while I didn’t understand why a song with French lyrics has an English title ("Last Winter"). Maybe this album could give its best with few more variations, both in music and vocals, daring to strengthen some noises or beats when needed to emphasize some passages or to better take advantage of vocal extension. Told this, I must admit that if you accept "Xenofeelia" for the reflective atmosphere it creates, it could be a good album for grey evenings when you need to look into your soul. A trip to the sad side of life.

REALGAR is a new project formed by Claudia Florio and Roberto Marino: she was the singer of LUPERCALIA while he played guitar and flute for some time with ARGINE. The monicker comes from a mineral that is an arsenic sulphide (the same in the cover) and I’m quite curious to know the reason of this choice.
This is only a demo, but the quality of compositions makes me think they’ll soon release a full length with a good label.
The first track "Dello Ascoso Secreto dell’Alchimia" starts with a mix of electronic beats, orchestral pads and some astral noise, with a light remembrance of Vangelis or J.M. Jarre. A sort or bagpipe precedes a recitation in Italian, and the result is a track filled with an intense sense of sadness.
"Finis" shows the mix of electro and ancient music that it’s the mark of REALGAR (if I must compare them with other bands maybe there are references to DEAD CAN DANCE, QNTAL, or even ENIGMA). When I say "ancient" I’m not referring to the usual medieval atmosphere now in vogue in the symphonic dark scene: this track reminds me the music that ethnomusicologists are rebuilding basing on two thousand years old Roman or Jewish traces, so the feeling is to be in a dusty and magnificent tomb, or in an old pagan temple. The use of female voice is superb in this song.
"Brüke" is a track that alternates a recitative voice to a soprano singing, while the programming is a strong contrast with its progressive/trance influences and rhythmical beats.
"Blandizia di Giusarma" is based on the composition "A che più l’arco tendere" by Stefano Landi, a XVII century musician, and also in this case the sweet melody of the singing has a counter-attraction in a noisy music.
"Piroclastic Dance" it’s an instrumental track that will confuse you like taking a trip: with its dreamy pads and sitar-like notes, if you close your eyes while listening you’ll start to fly.
Definitively, this Promo 2006 it’s a really good work, and as I noticed during a live exhibition of REALGAR, Claudia Florio’s voice is even better than before: more spontaneous and intense than in the past, I think it fuses better with music and it’s more passionate. Very good job is also made by Roberto Marini’s instrumental work, who shows noteworthy composing skills. A better production, filing some crude sounds or giving more profundity to some pads or atmospheres, and this will become a great album.